The present invention relates to cutting means and more particularly to cutting means suitable for dehorning animals such as sheep, cattle and goats.
It is frequently necessary in modern animal husbandry to dehorn animals such as cattle for veterinary reasons or to prevent the animals from brusing one another during the yarding or transport of the animals. Traditionally cattle have been dehorned manually which method is both time consuming and very tiring for the operator.
In recent years proposals have been made for the use of hydraulically powered dehorners, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,177,584 and 3,152,397. These proposals have, however, been unsatisfactory in that they have permitted the actuation of the dehorner without ensuring that both hands of an operator of the device are clear of the cutting blades. The present invention is designed to ensure that the risk of injury to an operator using the cutting means is reduced to a minimum.